Cleanout device for continuous concrete pipe laying machine



May 24, 1966 R. FULLER 3,252,198

CLEANOUT DEVICE FOR CONTINUOUS CONCRETE PIPE LAYING MACHINE Filed Jan. 28, 1964 s Sheets-Sheet 1 Sm 9 0\ w) fin 9w wm 3 N\ @NMI MN m, w R. 6%.? W1 .11 a m mwwwhm fl wai w wwm a ATTORNEY:

May 24, 1966 R. FULLER 3,252,198

CLEANOUT DEVICE FOR CONTINUOUS CONCRETE PIPE LAYING MACHINE Filed Jan. 28, 1964 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR. REV/Lo FULLER.

ibmwam ATTORIVEX R. FULLER May 24, 1966 CLEANOUT DEVICE FOR CONTINUOUS CONCRETE PIPE LAYING MACHINE Filed Jan. 28, 1964 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 ATTORNEY.

3,252,193 CLEANOUT DEVICE FOR CONTEINUQUS CON- CRETE PIPE LAYENG MACHINE Revilo Fuller, Phoenix, Ariz., assignor to Full erform Continuous Pipe Corp, Phoenix, Ariz., a corporation of Arizona Filed .Ian. 28, 1964, Ser. No. 340,715 2 Claims. (Cl. 25-32) This invention pertains to improvements in a continuous concrete pipe laying machine.

This invention pertains to improvements in a continuous concrete pipe laying machine as covered in my United States Patent No. 2,969,576, issued January 31, 1961.

One of the objects of this invention is to provide im-- provements in a machine for continuously forming a pipe of concrete in a previously dug trench.

Another object is to provide improvements in a continuous concrete pipe laying machine which travels along in a trench and which receives the plastic concrete mud and automatically forms a continuous pipe thereof in the bottom of the trench as the machine is moved along in the trench.

Still another object is to provide improvements in a continuous concrete pipe laying machine having a special and superior means for presenting a continuous collapsible core in inflatable position in the formed pipes as the machine progresses along the trench. I

It is a further object of this invention to provide improvements in the pipe laying machine aforementioned having a semi-circular cylindrical member which serves to support the continuous collapsible inflatable core during the supply and tamping of the concrete around it as received from the hopper of the machine and which member also serves to trowel the bottom half of the inside of the formed pipe and then to allow the longitudinally held continuous cylindrical core to be supportably presented on the troweled surface to support the top plastic portion until set.

And a further object is to provide improvements in a continuous pipe laying machine adapted to small as well as large pipe in which a continuous inflatable inner core is automatically presented in the poured pipe and which core can be deflated and released from the pipe bore after the concrete has set up by release of air pressure from one end of the finished pipe line without the necessity of a person crawling into the pipe to release said core.

And a still further object is to provide improvements in a pipe casting machine utilizing a continuous inflated inner core which may be deflated from outside of the cast pipe without the necessity of using any spreaders or braces manually placed in the inner core as in former devices.

It is also an object of this invention to provide improvements in a pipe casting machine as described above.

in which the lower half of the pipe is poured independent of the collapsible inner core following which step the top half of the pipe is poured on the top half of said inner core while it is supported on its lower half and then slid off on the bottom half of the bore of the case pipe.

A further object of this invention is to provide a cleanout device in connection with the above recited continuous concrete pipe laying machine so that excess concrete remaining in the pipe forming portions of the machine may be discharged therefrom before the concrete has an opportunity to set up and harden in the machine mechanism.

It is also an object to provide an improved metallic seal between the machine baffles and the inflatable core which eliminates leakage of the concrete from the machine during the pipe laying operations.

And an object is also to locate vibrator mechanisms at critically placed positions relative to the concrete feeding and finishing elements of the machine.

United States Patent 3,252,198 Patented May 24, 1966 "ice And an object is to adjustably mount the rear top trowelling member of the machine so that the top thickness of the pipe being laid may be varied at will during the continuous pipe laying operation.

' Further features and advantages of this invention will appear from a detailed description'of the drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a left hand side elevation of a continuous concrete pipe laying machine incorporating the features of this invention.

FIG. 2 is a plan view of the machine shown in FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a front end elevation of the machine indicated by the line 3-3 in FIG. 1.

FIG. 4 is a rear end elevation of the machine indicated by the line 44 of FIG. 1.

FIG. 5 is a vertical transverse section on the line 5-5 of FIG. 1.

FIG.- 6 is an enlarged fragmentary section on the line 66 of FIG. 5.

FIG. 7 is an enlarged fragmentary vertical longitudinal section on the line 7-7 of FIGS. 2, 3 and 4.

FIG. -8 is a perspective view of the continuous inflatable sectional core.

FIG. 9 is an enlarged broken section of the pneumatically inflated core on the line 9a9a of FIG. 8.

In this invention there is first formed a predug ditch having an arcuate bottom 10 shaped to conform to the outside of the lower half 11 of the cast pipe, and having vertically disposed parallel sides 12 and 13 extending upwardly to ground level 14. The machine comprises a guide portion 15 having a semi-cylindrical bottom 16 and upstanding sides 17 and 18 slidingly engaging the bottom and sides of the pre-dug ditch. To the rear end of the guideportion 15 is fixed a laterally disposed vertical baflle 19. On the front of the guide portion 15 is provided a hitch connection 20 to which a towing cable 21 may be attached for pulling the machine along in the ditch during the pipe laying operation. edge 22 of the guide portion 15 is turned inwardly at 23 to facilitate sliding of the device in the ditch without picking up dirt from the sides and bottom of the ditch.

Fixed to but spaced from the semi-cylindrical bottom 16 of the guide portion 15 is the core support rollers 24 having an arcuate arrangement, FIG. 3, conforming to the lower half 25 of the bore of the completed pipe. It will be noted that the core support rollers 24 are disposed from the front edge 22 of the guide portion 15 rearwardly toward the baflle 19 where there is provided a circular opening 26 conforming to the outside diameter of the core member 43. The bottom surface 28 of a coresupport member 24a extending rearwardly of the bafile 19 to the edge 27a is spaced from the bottom 10 of the pre-dug ditch so as to form the desired thickness for the bottom half of the pipe and to effectively trowel the lower half of the pipe bore as the machine travels along the ditch. The core support member 24a extends through the opening 26 and terminates in an outwardly sloping lip 36 to facilitate placement of the core 43 in the machine.

In order to supply the plastic cement mud to the machine there is provided a hopper 29 comprising the sides 30 and 31 fixed to and extending rearwardly of the bafl le 19 and connected at their rear edges to the rear transverse baffle 32. Rigidly fixed to and extending rearwardly from the rear transverse bafile 32 is the semi-cylindrical top trowelling member 33 having its inner concave surface 34 positioned to form the outside surface 35 of the top half of the pipe, the member 33 extending rearwardly to the rear end 27 of the machine. The rear transverse bafile 32 extends downwardly and terminates at the lower edges 37 of the top trowelling member 33 and has an arcuate cut-out passageway 38 conforming to the inner concave surface 34 of the top trowelling member.

Preferably, the front air supply pipe 68 It will be noted that the front edge 27b of the top trowelling member 33 is fixed to the vertically movable plate 32a having its side vertical edges suitably supported in vertical guideways 32b fixed to the rear ends of the sides 30 and 31. Suitable stabilizing rods and turnbuckles 55 may be provided between the upper portions of the vertically movable plate 32a and the outer rear cross member 32f fixed to the top rear edge of the hopper and rear transverse baflle 32 so that by manipulating the handwheel 32d the top trowelling member 33 may be vertically adjusted to vary the thickness of the top half of the pipe during the horizontal travel of the machine in laying the pipe. Thus, thicker top pipe sections can be easily provided as the machine crosses roads or other areas requiring greater strength for the pipe while the top section can be readily thinned by lowering the trowelling member 33 for areas not requiring high load capacity, any such adjustment being undertaken with the machine in actual operation.

Intermediate the baflle 19 and the rear transverse baflle 32 is-a transverse partition 39 having forwardly and rearwardly sloping plates 39a and 39b rigidly fixed to the sides and 31 of the hopper 29. This partition 39 has a semi-circular cut-out 40 in the lower edges of the plates 39a and 3% just slightly larger than the bore of the pipe which engages the upper half portion 42 of the pneumatically inflatable core members 43 to prevent flow of liquid cement through the cut-outs 40; the partition 39 terminating at its lower edge 44 with this portion of the sides 30 and 31 of the hopper.

Between the baffle 19 and the partition 39 is fixed a pair of divergently sloping plates 45 and 46, FIG. 5, connected together at an apex 47 and extending downwardly and merging with side plates 48 and 49 whoselower edges are rigidly fixed to the upper edges of the core support member 24a at the points 50 so as to form a completely enclosed tunnel between the bafile 19 and the partition 39 for relative sliding of the core member 43 therethrough as the machine travels along the ditch. It will be noted that between the 'baifle 19 and the partition 39 the rear end of the guide portion 15 slopes upwardly as indicated at 51, 52, 53 and 54 to aid in the distribution and smooth flow of the concrete under the core support member into the lower half of the ditch.

In conjunction with the operation of this machine there is provided a continuous pneumatically supported core apparatus 43 which relatively slides along on the rollers 24 and the concave upper surface of core support member 24a. This core aparatus comprises a rubber or plastic tube 56, FIG. 9, which may be collapsed and rolled up for easy handling or storage and which is closed on one end by a suitable header 57 having eyelet lugs 58 fixed to the outside face thereof for securing the core against longitudinal movement in the ditch during the pipe laying operations. The other end of the tube 56 has the supply headers 59 fixed therein to which is connected the having a shut-off valve 61- to which is connected the fluid pressure supply pipe 62. A suitable pressure gauge 63 may be mounted on the supply header 59 so as to indicate the inflation pressure in the tube 56.

To prepare the core 43 for use, air pressure is applied from line 62 to inflate the tube 56 to required pressure. The machine is placed at one end of the previously dug trench and the inflated core is placed in the trench and its header end 57 passed through the machine, as shown best in FIGS. 1 and 7. The eyelet lugs 58 of the header 57 are then suitably secured to prevent longitudinal movement of the core 43 during the initial stages of travel of .the machine during the pipe laying operation.

With the core 43 assembled in the machine ready for the forming operation as above described, plastic concrete of suitable consistency and body is supplied at 78 filling the front compartment 79 and the rear compartment 80 of the hopper 29. The supply of material from the front compartment 79 flows down the sloping plates 45 and 46 in .the bottom thereof and then down between the sides 30 and 31 of the hopper and the side plates 48 and 49 to fill the space between the bot-tom 10 of the ditch and the bottom surface 28 of the core support member 24a, the lower edges 44- of the partition 39 screeding off the material as the machine is pulled along in the ditch to complete the lower half of the pipe.

In the rear compartment 80 the material is being presented directly against the top half 42 of the core 43 as it emerges from the cutout 40 and also against the top edges of the material just poured forming the lower half of the pipe. As the machine progresses to the left in FIGS. 1 and 7 the core 43 is guided smoothly into the machine by the rollers 24 and outwardly sloping lip 36 on the leading edge of the upper concave surface 77 of the core support member 24a. The edge 81 of the top trowelling member screeds off the top outside surface of the upper half of the poured pipe while the top trowelling member completes this surface to proper finish and thickness depending upon its setting by handwheel 23d, thus completing the pipe structure. As the core 43 relatively passes out from the rear end 27a of the core support member 24a, it comes in contact with and rests on the bottom trowelled bore portion of the poured pipe and thereby supports the upper portion of the poured pipe until it has set, ready to deflate and remove the core 43.

In certain instances where the material requires it, suitable agitators or tampers may be utilized. Such tamping devices may comprise the downwardly extending tamper bars 82 and 83 which are rigidly fixed to the vertically reciprocatable yoke bars 84 connected together by the lateral bar 85 mounted on a suitable guide rod 86 vertically slidable in the guide bore 87 in the bracket 88 fixed to the baflle 19. A suitable drive motor 89, FIG. 1, mounted on the baffle 19 has an output shaft 90 and a sprocket 91 over which operates a chain 92 which in turn drives a sprocket 93 fixed to a-crankshaft 94 journaled in a bracket 95 suitably fixed to the baflle 19. The other end of the crankshaft 94 has a disc 96 fixed thereto and a crankpin 97 on said disc which is pivotally connected by a link 98 to the lateral bar 85 so that operation of the motor 89 effects vertical reciprocation of the tamper bars 82 and 83. The tamper bars 82 have tamping feet 99 located in the space between sides 30 and 31 of the hopper and the side plates 48 and 49 to facilitate the firm compaction of the concrete in the lower half 11 of the pipe while the tamper bars 83 have tamping feet 99a on their lower ends located between the sides 30 and 31 of the hopper and the upper half 4-2 of the core emerging from the partition 39 so as to get good compaction of the concrete for the upper half of the pipe. Suitable electrical control devices 100, 101 and 102. may be utilized to control the operation of the motor 89 for actuating the tampers 82 and 83 at the desired speed. To further facilitate the proper flow and compaction of the concrete there is provided a vibrator 103 fixed to the top front portion of the top trowelling member closely adjacent the vertically movable plate to affect the proper trowelling effect on the top section of the finished pipe. A further vibrator 104 is fixed to the vibrator bridge 105 in turn supported at its ends 106 on the side plates 48 and 49 to facilitate flow of concrete at the point of merging of concrete flowing from the hopper compartments into the bottom half and the top half of the concrete pipe being formed. Both of the vibrators 103 and 104 may be appropriately operated from the electrical control devices 100, 181 and 102.

Means are provided for evacuating concrete from the space between the bottom surface 28 of the core support member and the inside of the rear end of the guide portion 51, 52, 53 and 54, immediately behind the transverse baflie 19. To this end there is provided a semicircular flat push-out ring 107 which is mounted on the outer ends 108 of the piston rods 109 of the push-out cylinders 110 extending through the baflie 19, the cylinders being fixed to the semi-cylindrical bottom 16 of the guide portion 15 in front of the baffle 19. A suitable source of fluid pressure controlled by the usual reversing valve, not shown, is connected to reciprocate the piston rods 109 and the push-out ring 167. Normally, with the machine in operation, the push-out ring is retracted up against the rear face of the laterally disposed vertical bafile 19. When it is desired to push-out and evacuate the area between the underside 28 of the core support member 24a and the rear end of the guide portion behind the bafile 19, the cylinders 110 are energized to push the ring 107 rearwardly to the position 107a. This discharges the trapped concrete from the machine when it is pulled ahead of the completed end of the pipe and without having to remove the core and the machine from the trench at the end of the day or when long periods of delay intermediate the ends of the core are required. Thus, setting up of concrete in this otherwise critical and inaccessible area of the machine can be'avoided.

While the apparatus herein disclosed and described constitutes a preferred form' of the invention, it is also to be understood that the apparatus is capable of mechanical alteration without departing from the spirit of the invention and that such mechanical arrangement and commercial adaptation as fall Within the scope of the appendent claims are intended to be included herein.

Having thus fully set forth and described this invention what is claimed and desired to be obtained by United States Letters Patent is:

1. A cleanout device for a continuous concrete pipe laying machine having:

A. a guide portion including a semi-cylindrical bottom portion and upstanding sides arranged to engage the bottom and sides of a pre-dug ditch,

B. a laterally disposed vertical bafiie fixed to the rear end of said guide portion,

C. an upwardly sloping portion of said guide portion extending rearwardly of said baffle, D. a semi-cylindrical core support member fixed to and vertically spaced above said guide portion con- 5 forming to the lower half of the bore of the completed pipe and extending rearwardly through said bafile,

E. and evacuating means for cleaning out concrete from the space between the bottom surface of said core support member and the inside'of said upwardly sloping portion of said guide portion below said upstanding sides and rearwardly of said baflle when said laying machine has completed its laying operation and is resting in said ditch.

2. A cleanout device for a continuous concrete laying machine as set forth in claim 1 wherein said evacuating device includes F. a semi-circular flat push-out ring movably mounted and guided on said guide portion and core support and located therebetween rearwardly of said baffle,

G. and power means interconnected between said guide portion and core support and said semi-circular push-out ring operable to reciprocate said ring back and forth relative to said baffle to evacuate concrete remaining between said sloping guide portion and core support at the completion of a pipe laying operation.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 288,033 11/1883 Detrick 25-32 2,707,422 5/ 1955 Canfield 25-32 2,968,081 1/ 1961 Williamson et al. 25-32 2,969,576 1/1961 Fuller 25-32 3,032,852 5/1962 Hanson 25-32 3,143,781 8/1964 Kalns 25-32 3,181,222 5/1965 Palmer 2532 40 J. SPENCER OVERHOLSER, Primary Examiner.

G. A. KAP, Assistant Examiner. 

1. A CLEANOUT DEVICE FOR A CONTINUOUS CONCRETE PIPE LAYING MACHINE HAVING: A. A GUIDE PORTION INCLUDING A SEMI-CYLINDRICAL BOTTOM PORTION AND UPSTANDING SIDES ARRANGED TO ENGAGE THE BOTTOM AND SIDES OF A PRE-DUG DITCH, B. A LATERALLY DISPOSED VERTICAL BAFFLE FIXED TO THE REAR END OF SAID GUIDE PORTION, C. AN UPWARDLY SLOPING PORTION OF SAID GUIDE PORTION EXTENDING REARWARDLY OF SAID BAFFLE, D. A SEMI-CYLINDRICAL CORE SUPPORT MEMBER FIXED TO AND VERTICALLY SPACED ABOVE SAID GUIDE PORTION CONFORMING TO THE POWER HALF OF THE BORE OF THE COMPLETED PIPE AND EXTENDING REARWARDLY THROUGH SAID BAFFLE, E. AND EVACUATING MEANS FOR CLEANING OUT CONCRETE FROM THE SPACE BETWEEN THE BOTTOM SURFACE OF SAID CORE SUPPORT MEMBER AND THE INSIDE OF SAID UPWARDLY SLOPING PORTION OF SAID GUIDE PORTION BELOW SAID UPSTANDING SIDES AND REARWARDLY OF SAID BAFFLE WHEN SAID LAYING MACHINE HAS COMPLETED ITS LAYING OPERATION AND IS RESTING IN SAID DITCH. 